fortunately the dangerous roads about the gulches beyond, were not over-full of traffic; and then when at last he reached the straighter stretches along Schofield Barracks he again gave thanks that the worst of the trip, some twenty miles, was over and nothing untoward had happened, to delay him; but still he dared not speed too much lest he should be stopped and detained perilously.
And now he began to wonder whether he should find the right house. The orders were indefinite; and anyway, how did Bert know where to direct him? Might he not be on a wild-goose chase out here, after all, while something terrible might be happening to Evalani somewhere nearer to town? But, on the other hand, if he did not come here, where should he go? The police would mean publicity and also delay while they went over the ground which he had already covered. No, he would follow this up as far as it went; and then if it did not lead to anything, he would at least have Bert at hand to take counsel with, and plan some other quick line of search.
His car spun along as fast as he would let it, seeming almost like a live thing, over-eager to be about its master's business, answering his touch like a thoroughbred, and yet always alert for every bit of rein that he would give it. He found himself talking to it as they went, praising it, even soothing it with a word as just beyond Haleiwa a small car
